Damien Dempsey

Born and raised in Donaghmede, a Northside suburb of Dublin, his earliest musical influences come from the post-pub musical sessions that were held in his parents house when he was a toddler.

Upon completing secondary school, he attended the Ballyfermot "Rock School" for 2 years. There he studied musical performance and management, and his first EP, "The Contender" was released in 1995 on the school's record label.

His first commercial single "Dublin Town" was released in 1997, and reached number 18 in the Irish music charts. The Irish music magazine "Hot Press" praised the single, remarking that it was "..an underground anthem for disaffected youth and closet balladeer alike". His first album, titled "They Don't Teach This Shit In School" and released in 2000, contained a re-recorded version of this song.